Corruption to be reason for firing governors in Russia

January 16, 2012, 17:40 UTC+3Currently, a governor may be dismissed by the president for “improper performance of his duties”

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MOSCOW, January 16 (Itar-Tass) —— Corruption and unresolved conflicts of interest will be among the reasons for which the president may lose faith in governors and dismiss them, according to a draft gubernatorial election law submitted to the State Duma on Monday, January 16.

Currently, a governor may be dismissed by the president for “improper performance of his duties”.

The draft law specifies the reasons for dismissing governors. These include corruption and conflicts of interest, breach of law or repeated failure to perform official duties without good reason.

The law on gubernatorial elections was drafted in less than a month, presidential aide Larisa Brycheva said.

The work on the document started after the president had put forth his initiative concerning a new procedure for electing regional governors in the middle of December 2011.

“It took us less than a month to draft it,” she said.

Brycheva also believes that “there is no point” in submitting the draft law to a nationwide referendum. “The president has already made the decision to submit it [to the State Duma],” she said.

Under the draft law, a governor is elected by popular secret ballot. Candidates for the post can be nominated by parties or by themselves. Parties can nominate candidates after consultations with the president.

Currently, all gubernatorial candidates have to be approved by the president. The party that has a majority in the respective regional legislature submits at least three candidatures to the president who then selects one and sends his nomination to the regional parliament for confirmation.